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Case Studies

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Pedestrian Tunnel

The first land-link pedestrian tunnel, 100 feet below ground, between Toronto Island and the mainland

Situation

Located on Toronto Island, Billy Bishop Airport is Canada’s ninth busiest and welcomes more than two million business and leisure travelers each year. The new 550 foot long, 60 foot wide pedestrian tunnel project located 100 feet below ground allows travelers to reach the airport by foot. This tunnel is the first land-link between Toronto Island and the mainland. Twenty five thousand square feet of 3’ x 3’ (1 m x 1 m) fiberglass backed porcelain Laminam wall tile were to be installed on walls and 30,000 square feet of 12” x 24” (30 cm x 60 cm) porcelain tiles on tunnel floors. Originally specified with a competitor’s product, York Marble decided to look for alternative products that could meet project requirements and perform rapidly.

Tile Installer: York Marble Tile & Terrazzo Inc. – Toronto, ON

Contractors: PCL Constructors Canada Inc. – Toronto, ON and Technicore Underground, Inc. Newmarket, ON

Architect: ZAS Architects + Interiors – Toronto, ON

Featured Products:

ARDEX X 77™ MICROTEC® Fiber Reinforced Tile and Stone Mortar

ARDEX X 4™ Tile and Stone Mortar

ARDEX FL™ Rapid Set, Flexible, Sanded Grout

Challenge:

  • 25,000 ft2 (2,322 m2) 3’ x 3’ (1 m x 1 m) fiberglass backed porcelain Laminam wall tile installation
  • 30,000 ft2 (2,787 m2) 12” x 24” (30 cm x 60 cm) porcelain floor tile installation
  • Underground installation nearly 100 feet (30 m) from sea level
  • 30-day installation time frame, project behind schedule

Solution

ARDEX Sales Professional Brian Jones met with York Marble Tile & Terrazzo Inc, and suggested ARDEX X 77™ MICROTEC® Fiber Reinforced Tile and Stone Mortar for walls and ARDEX X 4™ Tile and Stone Mortar for floors with ARDEX FL™ Rapid Set, Flexible, Sanded Grout to finish both. ARDEX X 77 allows installers to work quickly and provides outstanding coverage rates. The tunnel descends on a 4% grade and ascends at a 2% grade. Tiles were installed square to the grade making the tunnel appear perfectly level and straight. The installation received an ARDEX SystemOne™ warranty. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Pedestrian Tunnel won the International Tunneling & Underground Space Association’s 2014 Specialist Tunneling Project of the Year Award and the Tunneling Association of Canada’s 2014 Canadian Project of the Year Award.